Venison Tenderloin

This venison tenderloin is incredibly tender and juicy, enhanced by a quick sear and a simple fresh herb garlic butter. It's an excellent option for a special dinner for two and is naturally gluten-free and keto-friendly.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword venison recipe, venison tenderloin

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 1 5

Servings

Calories 358kcal

Author Erin Dooner

Ingredients

Dry rub:

1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon medium-coarse black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder

To cook the meat:

1 venison tenderloin about 1/2 to 1 pound (225 to 450 grams)
1 tablespoon canola oil, grapeseed or avocado oil

Herb butter:

1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves 16 grams, peeled, minced
4 teaspoons fresh finely chopped rosemary from about four 6” sprigs or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
2 teaspoons fresh thyme from about eight 4” sprigs or 3/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Dry rub:

Mix the salt, pepper and garlic powder together in a small bowl.
Use paper towels to pat the tenderloin dry. If it's too large to fit in your cast iron skillet, cut it in half.
Rub the meat all over with the rub. You can do this 40 minutes or up to 24 hours in advance - refrigerate it uncovered. If you refrigerate it, remember to let it sit at room temp for 1 hour before cooking.
Before cooking, use paper towels to pat the meat dry again. The drier the meat, the better crust you’ll get while searing.

Cook:

Get out a cast iron skillet that's large enough for the tenderloin. If your tenderloin is really large, it might need to go into the oven to finish cooking. Make sure it’s an oven-safe pan. If the tenderloin is extra large, finish cooking in a preheated 375°F (190 °C) oven until it reaches 120-130 °F (49-54 °C).
Heat the pan over high heat until piping hot.
Add the oil, swirl it around, and when it starts to shimmer, add the meat to the pan.
Sear the tenderloin over medium-high or high. All stoves are different - if you’re on high and it’s burning, turn it to medium-high. Once there's a crust, usually after about 2-3 minutes, flip and continue searing the other sides of the meat. If you try to turn it and the meat isn’t easily coming off of the pan, that means it’s not ready.
It should only be cooked to 120-130 °F (49-54 °C) and will rise to about 130-135 °F (54-57 °C) as it rests out of the pan. It's very important not to overcook it as it'll turn tough.
Remove the pan from the oven and remove the meat to a plate. Let the meat rest for about 5-15 minutes or until it reaches 130-135 °F (54-57 °C).
Meanwhile, put the pan (with the pan drippings) back on the stove at medium-low heat and add all the herb butter ingredients. Use a wooden spatula to deglaze the pan (scrape up the flavorful bits stuck to the bottom of the pan). Cook until the garlic is soft, about 1-3 minutes.
Cut into 1 to 1.5” medallions and pour the sauce over the meat.
Cool leftovers, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.

Notes

If you can’t rub on the seasoning at least 40 minutes before cooking, put it on immediately before cooking. Otherwise, juices will be lost, making it more difficult to sear the meat properly. If you refrigerate it, remember to let it sit at room temp for 1 hour before cooking.
1 tenderloin is enough for 2-4 people, depending on how big your meat servings are. I would say it's enough for 2 adults and 2 small kids, but not 4 adults. However, if your tenderloin is on the smaller side, it may only be enough for 2 adults.

Nutrition